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Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Free Solo

A Reel Leadership Article

On June 3rd, 2017, Alex Honnold did the impossible. Alex free-soloed the 3,000 foot El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Free-soloing is the climbing of a rock-face without the use of any safety equipment. Alex had no harness, no safety net, nothing to catch him if he were to fall.

Such a feat seems nigh-impossible. To climb 3,000 feet into the air without safety equipment makes my mind hurt. It may make yours as well.

Photo: Free Solo

Having a passion for ice climbing, Free Solo caught my attention because of the high-risk behavior and the excitement of someone doing the impossible. Knowing there are people out there who are willing to risk life and limb to do what no other person is willing to do fascinates me.

The National Geographic film Free Solo tells Alex’s story as he prepares to free solo El Capitan. The film is a look into the mind of a climber who, at first blush, showed no fear in climbing El Capitan. The viewer gets an in-depth look at his life, his love, and his friends.

You’ll walk away with a newfound appreciation for those who climb. You’ll also feel sorry for Alex. And you’ll also discover multiple leadership lessons from Free Solo.

Today’s Reel Leadership article is going to look at the life of Alex Honnold and what his free climb of El Capitan can teach you about leadership.

But when you open up about your fears, you can begin to discuss your next moves. You will find there are other leaders who have been where you’re at. They will have a good idea of what will work and what won’t.

Be willing to open up to other leaders. Ask for their advice and input as you make organizational changes. You’ll be better for it.

6. Great leaders give back:

Alex wanted to do more than climb. He wanted to find a way to contribute to the world. He did this by creating a non-profit organization.

The Honnold Foundation was formed by Alex to bring electricity to people who did not have access to this life-changing technology. Through solar power and grid alternative energy, he’s using his climbing to bring change to people around the world.

Have you thought about what you could do to give back to your community or the world? There’s plenty you could do. Some options for giving back are:

Create a non-profit like Alex Honnold

Serve at a local food kitchen

Support a non-profit you believe in

Volunteer at your church or faith organization

Giving back doesn’t take a lot. However, giving back changes things.

7. Great leaders train:

There were few moments were Alex wasn’t training. He went to Morocco to train on the cliffs there. He had a finger pull-up bar in his van. Training was his life.

Why did Alex train? He trained because his life depended upon his training. If he wasn’t fit and capable of climbing 3,000 feet, he would die.

You won’t die if you don’t train. But you will be a less effective leader if you don’t train.

If there’s a legitimate fear in your leadership, deal with it. Learn how to recognize the fear, see what needs to be done, and then move around it.

10. Leaders will get hurt:

During a practice climb with his girlfriend, Cassandra “Sanni” McCandless, Sanni made a mistake. She wasn’t paying attention to the rope and let the rope slip through her belay device. Because of this, Alex fell and had a compression fracture of two of his vertebrae.

Through all of his preparation, he didn’t expect this to happen. He didn’t expect to be injured in this way. Still, he was.

Leaders will face all sorts of injuries as they lead. They may get sick. Or they may have psychological wounds. Or they may have physical injuries.

11. Alex Honnold:

I don’t want to fall off and die either, but there’s a satisfaction to challenging yourself and doing something well. That feeling is heightened when you’re for sure facing death. If you’re seeking perfection, free soloing is as close as you can get. And it does feel good to feel perfect, for a brief moment

No one really wants to die. Alex surely didn’t. However, he kept pushing himself.

He found satisfaction in the next challenge. He also found pleasure in doing things well.

Are you pushing yourself to lead better than you did yesterday? You need to be.

You only get better when you challenge yourself. Push yourself to get better.

12. Leadership isn’t a straight path:

One of the amazing things about Alex Honnold’s free solo of El Capitan was the climb wasn’t straight up. He had to go up, to the side, down, and back up again.

There was no straight path. It was crooked and jagged and looked insane.

Image from New York Times

Leadership journies are a lot like Alex’s climb. They look crazy from the observer. Yet they are the best route you could take at the time.

You can’t worry if you shoot straight to the top or not. You have to take the best route you can to get to your leadership destination.

13. Jimmy Chin:

If you’re pushing the edge, eventually you find the edge.

Jimmy Chin directed Free Solo. He is also a friend of Alex’s. He also knows the dangers of rock climbing.

One of his other documentaries, Meru, details the life and death struggle of climbing. He almost died during the filming of that movie. Climbing is real. Climbing is dangerous.

You can only push so far. Eventually, you’ll come to the dangerous edge.

Be careful of how far you push yourself and others. You might push too far.

14. You won’t always see the path in front of you:

Alex’s first attempt to free solo El Capitan began at 4 AM in the morning. There was little to no light. It was hard to see where he was going.

Yet he began his climb. Not being able to clearly see more than a couple of moves ahead.

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Isn’t it funny how you can’t always see the next step to accomplishing the mission you have for your organization? You have a plan, but you also can’t see 10 steps ahead. You can only see 2 or 3 steps.

Leadership isn’t for the faint of heart. You will have to take a step to see the next step. Be willing to take the step.

15. Alex Honnold:

It’s always about excellence and perfection.

Leadership shouldn’t be a game of good enough. To lead well, you need to lead with excellence and a mindset of perfection.

Question: Have you seen Free Solo? If you have, did you take away any leadership lessons? If you haven’t seen the movie, what leadership lessons from Free Solo that I shared resonated with you? Let me know in the comment section below.

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